Author Topic: Strange appliance included with recent purchase of Mortar. (Read 1524 times)

Blaster · « **on:** April 16, 2004, 01:02:28 PM »

On my recent purchase of a mortar (fires beer/soft drink cans) the seller handed me a three part, machined aluminum appliance that he said goes with the mortar. DD..I recently e-mailed you asking if you'd mind looking at it if I sent a few pictures of this gadget. Never got a response. I don't want to send an attachment with my e-mail unless you advise that you don't mind downloading them. If you don't mind, perhaps you can post which ever pictures you feel are worthy and maybe someone out there will recoginze this thing. I'd sure appreciate being told just what this thing is supposed to do. Thanks DD. Blaster (Bob in CO)

Double D · « **Reply #1 on:** April 16, 2004, 05:26:13 PM »

Bob,

I don't recall seeing send it again, please and i'll post it up for you.

Blaster · « **Reply #2 on:** April 19, 2004, 04:23:08 PM »

Here is the strange appliance that DD believes is for the loading procedure of the mortar.

http://www.fototime.com/2DB0D112D7E5220/standard.jpg

Hope this picture posting works out. Blaster.

Stuffy25thIA · « **Reply #3 on:** April 19, 2004, 04:54:20 PM »

Don't know what the tool is Blaster, but I sure do like the looks of your mortar thou. Shame on you for trying to buy mine, you don't need all the nice toys.
Take care friend.

jimwaits · « **Reply #4 on:** April 19, 2004, 04:57:11 PM »

Looks to me like it might be used to roll tinfoil around to make cartridge for the black powder.

Double D · « **Reply #5 on:** April 19, 2004, 05:18:52 PM »

Blaster,

Go into your post with the pictures and click on edit. When the window open you will see how the links have to be to be visable. You might notice at the top of the window are the commands buttoms. The one for pictures is IMG.

When you want to post a picture. Past you link in like this http://www.fototime.com/2DB0D112D7E5220/standard.jpg

Highlight the link then click on the Img. button. Your link will be formatted to display.

I left one for you to do.

By the way you've been holding out on us, that is a neat mortar.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #6 on:** April 20, 2004, 01:24:45 PM »

Thanks for posting the pix!

I see two very useful functions.

First with all three pieces - for making, filling and wrapping up the powder charge in aluminum foil.

Second, with the largest tube, using the longest one as a rammer, placing the charge down into the powder chamber.

It's easy to do with the 4.5" because your hand fits inside with no problem. BUT with smaller bores, one needs assistance.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #7 on:** April 20, 2004, 01:27:21 PM »

OH YEA - that's one tough lookin' mortar!

Double D · « **Reply #8 on:** April 20, 2004, 03:12:42 PM »

I at a first thought the same thing for rolling cartridges. But I got to thinking about it and it wouldn't work. With three wraps of foil you wouldn't be able to get in the main hole. The other problem woud be trying to slide the foil cartridge off, to much friction.

But I do believe it is a loading device. A very unsafe loading device. If you had the powder ignite while loading the is going to be one big massive projectile that is going to be roaring out of the bore ripping and destroying anything it's path. Don't use it!

Blaster · « **Reply #9 on:** April 20, 2004, 03:33:48 PM »

Hey, thanks for the compliments fellows. I'll have to get some pix of my other two, one will fire a 2 1/2 piece of electrical conduit filled with concrete and the small one fires 35 m/m film containers also filled with concrete. Then finally, I'll have to post a picture of my entire group of black powder cannon/mortar. I'm a sucker for collecting them and then the worst part, I seldom ever fire them. I won't be showing them to brag but just to show what I currently have. As information, there will be black powder cannon/mortar shoot at the NRA Whittington Center at Raton, NM on May 15 and 16. Heard there will be 30 or more. I WILL NOT miss that event!!! Should be a lot of fun and a plenty of that good smelling smoke, although I am going to only be a spectator on this, my first one. I hope to take some camcorder movies as well as some digital pictures. Although DD has extended his patience with me, my wife and I still have yet to really figure out how to post pictures. I am sorry to be such a ding-a-ling but I just don't understand the procedure completely. Guess I can blame that on my age. You just have a hard time teaching THIS old dog any new tricks. My grandkids could figure it out in probably less than one minute. I have a set of 12 year old twin grandsons. One loves to fire off my 1-inch Dalghren. The other can'd do it cause he wants to hold BOTH ears and that makes his firing it a little difficult. Also, Stuffy, I still want that mortar of yours. Blaster (Bob in CO)

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #10 on:** April 20, 2004, 03:44:18 PM »

Having not wrapped the foil containers, I was not thinking of using one of them for a spindle on which to wrap around, rather the larger (with the shorter inside it) as providing a cavity into which a foil liner could be placed inside, then tamped with the other. OR, since it most likely would be easier to wrap foil around the outside of something, there may be a fourth piece that would provide that function. But the three together could certainly be used for moving the packet to the powder chamber. Safety is an issue - but sparks wouldn't be made from the aluminum. I will grant you that sparks may be present from the previous firing.

Double D · « **Reply #11 on:** April 20, 2004, 10:18:15 PM »

My only concern about discharge when loading with this device would be when the powder charge might hit it a spark in the mortar chamber. Especially if the cartridge was torn open while sliding down the loading tube. Especially if the cartridge got torn open while sliding doown the big tube.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #12 on:** April 21, 2004, 12:38:08 AM »

A valid concern.

What is the ballistic coeefficient of a ram rod?

(I have seen ram rods that have been fired by M14's.)

Blaster · « **Reply #13 on:** April 21, 2004, 12:08:43 PM »

Well fellows, I have absolutely no intention of using that aluminum loading device. I'll stick with the old fashion way of loading black powder. This device will be used but as a paper weight or a conversation starter. I load my cannons using aluminum foil and that has always worked just fine for me. For the mortar, I merely bring the tube up to a verticle position, place an aluminum funnel right over the firing chamber and pour in the powder loose. I have been using only 65 grains of cannon grade or second choice is single F. I see some folks using 200 and 300 grains of single F for shooting a beer can of concrete, and perhaps it's perfectly safe, but I prefer to use a light charge as was recommended by Barney of South Bend Replica ( Formerly Barneys Cannons ) in South Bend, IN.
DD lets just forget about the posting of the last picture of the mortar. It was nothing that great anyhow. We have only one phone line so won't be able to do as you very graciously offered. I'm just not going to attempt to post pictures on a forum. I can still e-mail any new ones to whom I think may be interested in them.
Just got back for the NRA Whittington Center and man-O-man, do they ever have some nice black powder ranges down there and there was no one using them today. I'll have to take my TC Hawken .50 down one of these days however I live on 35 acres of hills and trees so I can really do the majority of my shooting right here and no one to complain about noise and the "danger" of shooting. Life is great!!!